10 May 2006

Media Release

Amnesty International New Zealand – Abortion

Right to Life is disappointed that Amnesty International New Zealand supports the call of the International Council of Amnesty to enter into abortion advocacy. This decision was made recently at Amnesty’s annual meeting in Wellington. A final decision will be made by the international body.

Amnesty’s current position on abortion is neutral, it now sees abortion as a human right that should be promoted and protected. It now proposes to actively fight to deny the human rights of unborn children and their inalienable right to life. In taking this step it is turning its back on human rights. Abortion entails the destruction of an innocent unborn child, the weakest and most defenceless member of the human family.

Right to Life does not recognise the killing of another human being as a human right; Abortion is a serious violation of human rights and is violence against women. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights states that our human rights are inalienable and universal. These rights are conferred on us at conception and may not be taken from us.

Amnesty International claims to support the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Convention states; “The child deserves special care and safeguards including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth.”

We all have a duty to defend life, Right to Life calls upon Amnesty International to uphold a culture of life and reject the proposed policy change. It should adopt a true human rights policy of working to protect the human rights of unborn children and to oppose abortion as being violence against women.

Amnesty International has a well earned international reputation in protecting freedom and human rights throughout the world. It would be a tragedy if Amnesty International were to adopt abortion as a “human right’, it would place in jeopardy the wonderful work that it currently performs.

Ken Orr
Spokesperson,
Right to Life New Zealand Inc,

ENDS

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